Avatar: The Good Land
by AbeSedecim
Summary: Second Chapter after Avatar: To the Four Winds. The story of Toph and Team Terra searching for the Earth King and arrive at a little farming village with more than one big problem to handle.
1. Previously on Avatar…

After a bitter sweet reunion Aang and his friends decided to go there separate ways. Aang heads for the Eastern Air Temple, Sokka, Suki, and Katara head for the South Pole, Zuko and Mai head back to the Fire Nation, and Toph leads the Terra Team to find the Earth King after he hadn't returned from his long sabbatical.

In the Last Chapter: _To the Four Winds._

Aang gets some cryptic advice from Guru Pathik. He has a dream guided by the spirit of Sister Iio who shows him the origin of the Airbenders and there ultimate fate. In the darkness her finds a light, the elders may be gone but the younger generation was set adrift to hide until the time came to emerge once more. However, before he can see it further Aang is attacked by the mysterious Mad Bison Man who is nearly indestructible toward any assault. After Appa saves the day and Mad Bison Man is pushed off a cliff. Aang travels to the West to find out more clues to the hidden airbender nation….The Mad Bison Man may be down, but he's not out.

Now we join Toph and her mission to find the Earth King.


	2. Part 1: The Big Worm

Avatar: The Good Land

By AbeSedecim

_Part 1_

They had only just started their search, but already fatigue had set in the ranks. The Terra Team had always been better than the regular Earth Army being stronger, faster, and more alert than any other Earth Benders. When it came to running along side one tough little girl, the Terra Team couldn't keep up. As they followed her through the woodland area on the foot of a mountain pass they sweated waterfalls just follow Toph's lead.

"Come on slowpokes," she told them. "Is that the best you can do? My grandma can run faster than you and she's not even an Earth Bender."

"Please Miss Toph," said Terra Three.

"Ahem," she scolded. "What did we talk about?"

"My apologies," he sincerely responded. "Commander Toph, I realize you were given charge of this mission because of your abilities to see things no one else can sense. However, it feels like we've been going around in circles."

"That's because we have."

"What," they all called? "Why?"

"I figured you guys needed the exercise if you're going to travel with me."

"Needed the exercise?" They nearly collapsed.

"With all do respect Commander Toph, our primary objective is to find the Earth King," said Terra One.

"Well maybe we should try that village over there," she said pointing over the mountain?

"A village," he asked?

"Yeah; all that hoofing we did gave me a good lay of the land. It wasn't all fun and games you know. I recognized a very distinctive sound coming from the ground. It might be worth checking out."

"Do you think the Earth King is there?"

"Could be, you can't mistake the sound…of a snoring bear."

"Most likely the Earth King's pet Bosco," said Terra Two.

"If we can find that bear we'll find the King," said Terra One.

Like lightening to the brain Toph caught a glimpse beneath her feat. Something was definitely coming their way; it was big it was definitely angry. Even though the vibration was muffled by the dirt it seemed the whole forest was cringing in its coming. Toph looked at her troops and commanded there attention.

"If I were you guys I'd put on your defensive faces right about…Now!"

On signal, a large scaly creature sprung from the Earth like a might tongue. It had four mandibles and massive tusks; it long as a road, but had no eyes to see. When it bellowed it sounded like the rumbling of one large belly that hungered for battle. The Terra Team looked upon there new enemy knowing full well what it was. They scattered across the forest as one of them called out its name.

"Bull-Worm!" cried Terra Three.

The creature lashed out at them like a snake, it followed them with every turn crooked as twisted metal. The Terra Team scattered in every direction while Toph stayed perfectly still. The Bull-Worm chased after each target with its jaws as wide trap. They shot boulders and disks trying to knock it out, but that Worm was so slick that it dodged each rock without even a scratch. No matter how hard they punched, they couldn't land a strike. The Terra Team were tossed aside like rag dolls, until only one remained to face the Bull-Worm.

"Time to get Toph," she broke her silence.

She stomped her foot on the ground, immediately the Worm gave notice. Her presence was strong like a beacon in the forest. Each move she made the Worm twisted and turned. Toph bided her time and wrangled the worm like a mighty matador; wearing it out with its own fury. Using her senses she timed her reactions each time the worm was just inches away from contact. Each time the Bull-Worm got closer, studying her every move as its fury began to die. That's when Toph had the advantage. Just when it seemed that she was going to make an Earth Bending Move which the Worm could avoid she faked it out to within a fraction of a second.

"Made you look," she shouted!

She took a knee to the ground. A rock shot up like a spring loaded pillar, jabbing the Bull Worm right in the mouth. One hit was all it took and the creature ran away burrowing back into the Earth from whence it came. Unfortunately for her it was an unfulfilling victory.

"One hit," she pondered? "I thought it would put up more of a fight."

The Terra Team recovered and united with Toph once more, but something was on there minds about this encounter.

"I don't get it," said Terra Three. "Bull-Worms are peaceful creatures that mostly stay dormant beneath the soil. They're a sign of good land."

"Then how do you explain the one that just attacked us unprovoked?"

"There's definitely something funny going on, but I'm not laughing," said Terra One.

"Eh, lighten up Terry," she patted him on the back hard! "It's like you said, our prime object is the Earth King. We can worry about the Worms some other time. Now hurry up and pull yourselves together, we got some major hoofing to do."

The instant she turned into Commander Toph the Terra Team fell to the ground with there faces in the dirt. Just the thought of the torment they would suffer was enough to take even the toughest man down.

Meanwhile in the village beneath the mountain range, the farmers toiled there daily labor. One this good land many crops were grown, food filled many, and the people lived happily with the good harvest that land provided. At least, that's how it was long ago.

Now, the land had turned bitter and cruel. The work was harsh, the harvests had been bitter, but the people kept hope. For many months the farmers dwindled down to a dedicated handful. As long as there was the land they were content to till it. Plowing the fields with a lone Armadillo-Slot, the farmers went about there daily works. They tore up weeds with hoes, everyone working hard, especially one hired hand trying to earn his keep.

"Slow down there sonny," said the head farmer noticing him working especially fast to weed the soil. "It's not a race; you need to take your time to till it right."

"Sorry sir," said the farm hand in light of his foreman's smile. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

"Well since you ahead of yourself, why not come inside for a nice cold drink?"

"It would be my honor," he replied placing his tool by his side.

"You're a real hard worker Kuei," he said patting him on the back. "Don't be afraid to take it easy every once and awhile."

"Kuei, Kuei," called a group of farmer's children in the distance.

"What's wrong," he asked?

"Orson's sleeping and he won't wake up," said a little girl.

"Now children, have we told you not to bother Mr. Kuei's friend?" scolded the head farmer.

"It's quite alright sir," he related to there problem. "Why don't we see if I can't give that old bear a wake up call?"

"YAY," the children cheer as they led him toward the field. The elder farmers laughed with joy as they gathered together to watch him being dragged off on another expedition.

"That sure is one cheerful fellow," the head farmer commented.


	3. Part 2: Good Times

_Part 2_

At the edge of the river, on top of a very large rock a large bear slept flat on his back soaking up the sun as he snored as loud as the rapids. A couple of kids tried their best to wake him by jumping on his belly and poking him with a stick. Yet, nothing seemed to stir the large beast; he just kept sleeping the day away. When Kuei arrived with the other kids, the others happily greeted them.

"I'm telling you it's impossible to wake him up," said a young boy.

"That bear could sleep thru anything," said another.

"That's not true," said Kuei to the children. "There is only one way to wake him up, which I will demonstrate."

They tried to contain their giggles as Kuei carefully approached the slumbering bear. He came up beside him and leaned carefully toward his ear. He was ready to run the minute he woke him up because it was unpredictable what he would do once he gave the signal.

"The trick is two magic words," he started with a whisper. "I guarantee he'll be wide and awake before you can say…DINNER TIME!"

The shock of hearing those words was enough for the bear to rush up from his rock and land right in the river with a great big splash. Even though Kuei had fled before and stood back with the kids the wave was big enough to splash them all. The crowd was roaring with joy at the sight of the soggy bear, but he was not mad. He simply just splashed his paws in the water trying to catch the fish he had scared away.

"Everyone, splash Orson!" said one boy jumping in the river.

Everyone jumped into the water scaring the fish and splashing water on the bear. It was a joyous sight, and Kuei was contempt to watch everyone having so much fun. Since he came here and joined this farming family, it was a closest thing he had ever been to freedom and real people. Yet, no sooner had they started to enjoy themselves was there fun interrupted by arrival of some unwelcome guests.

"Well look at all the little kiddies playing in the water," said a young man stomping his foot in the ground. Following him was a group of four other men himself eager to start a fight even if one didn't exist. Immediately they all stopped and turned to see a man they had all come to know as trouble and content.

"What a pleasure to see you Ton-ton," Kuei politely stated with a smile. "What brings you and your men out this fine day?"

"We were just walking around the neighborhood," he said muscling in. "Yet, since we're here anyway I was wondering if you were thinking about that little offer from my boss?"

"Tell Mr. Gin that I am flattered that he would acquire my services for a considerable sum, but I'm afraid I have already made a comment to the village elders."

"Guy who turns down that much money has either got rocks in his head and sand in his pockets." The other men laughed at his humorous remarks. "My boss is willing to pay you double if your reconsider his offer."

"It's not a matter of money," he stood stout. "I can not in good conscious abandon my post when the village is so desperately in need of my services."

"If it's not money you're after, then what about your health?" he said with his men closing in.

"Actually, working outdoors can be quite refreshing," he said with a strong inhale. "Not only that but it's good for the spirit."

"Working in such conditions can be full of hazards. Boys why don't you show our friend what kind of accidents can happen on a farm?" His associates were Earth Benders. One of them summoned forth a pillar from the ground as a crash dummy. Then using a round boulder he shot it directly at the pillar turning it into rubble in the dirt.

"Is that supposed to intimidating," he commented unimpressed.

"Then how about we give you a hands on demonstration," asked Ton-ton?

"Good idea," said the Earth Bender raising a large rock from the ground.

"Kuei!" cried the children running out of the water.

"No," he halted them! "Don't worry about me; stay where you are and look away."

"How touching you more worried about the children's safety then your own," he shed an imaginary tear. "Just for that I'll make sure not to hurt your face. So, just aim for his heart."

The men laughed at there superiors cruel sense of humor. Carefully the assailant took his time to hurl the rock. Kuei stood his ground, not willing to budge an inch from his spot. He was like a mountain against the wind with no compromise. One more minor adjustment and his shot would fly like a cannon ball. He held his fist back and extended it forward. The boulder would have made deadly accuracy if not for surprising interruption.

A second boulder was shot beside the Earth King. Its force was greater than the one before him and it pulverized the shot into dust. It was surprising to everyone, who turned around to find a young girl standing in the direction of the second shot. Kuei recognized the eyes of girl he had come to know for a time, Toph happy to see him too.

Before he could even say a word, he turned his attention again back to Ton-ton and his men. While they had been distracted, the entire gang was apprehended by the Terra Team he held them at point blank range.

"You will pay for your travesty you ruffians," said Terra One ready to render his justice swift. For there attempt to hurt the Earth King there was only punishment suitable. Yet, before they could execute the young men they were stopped by Kuei's orders.

"STOP," he said! "Let them go."

"But your majesty…" he protested.

"I will not hold any grievances against these misguided foes; release them at once."

An order from the Earth King was the highest priority and therefore everyone in Team Terra was force to obey. Before Terra One released Ton-ton, he gave him this stern warning.

"If you value your life, I would leave here and never return again. Understood?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever you say," he nervously replied.

He was released and like the rest of his associates they fled from the scene in a pure fit of fright. There duty done, the Terra Team humbly bowed before the Kuei while the children walked up to him in curiosity. There presence was no one of comfort for the Earth King; in fact it was almost as unwanted as the arrival of Ton-ton and his men.

"Your majesty," Terra One spoke. "We are honored to have finally found you."

"Huh?" asked a curious boy. None of them knew what to make of this revelation.

"Kuei, what are these guys talking about," asked a girl?

"Yeah, why do they keep calling you Majesty," asked another?

"Is that your nickname?"

"I know it's a game," surmised the littlest one.

"They're pretending that Kuei is the Earth King or something," said another girl.

"I'm afraid this is not game kids, your majesty really is the-." OOF, he got punched in the gut by an interrupting Toph.

"What Rocky here is trying to say is that you're right about the nickname," she played along. "Yeah, I got names for all of them like Flat Foot, Hard Boot, Tender Toe, Leather Head…" The children laughed at her funny words, but Terra One had to convey his grievances.

"Commander Toph, we shouldn't be encouraging this-"

"Look Rock-Head," she whispered sternly. "Just play along for now or we're going to play a little game of Drill Sergeant Toph."

"…Very well," he said. Then nodding to his men they agreed to keep his true identity in confidence. Your majesty would be nothing more than a nickname to the common ear.

"Well Majesty perhaps you friends would like to play my friends in a round game of Earth Ball," she suggested.

"Hurray," they cried! Team Terra was dragged out to play the game while Toph and Earth King looked at each other knowing they had a lot to talk about.


	4. Part 3: Lay of the Land

_Part 3_

The farm kids play Earth Ball with Bosco in the middle of it all. Team Terra went easy on the little tykes remembering Toph's orders to play along. They simply kicked the ball back and forth across the invisible lines in the dirt having a good time while Toph and Earth King Kuei sat on top of a flat rock.

"Who made Bosco the referee," she asked?

"I have no idea," he laughed.

"So, you name is Kuei now?"

"It was…once upon a time," he smiled.

"I take it you're enjoying your little vacation?"

"I would hardly call it a vacation," he said. "When I was exiled from the Ba Sing Se, I traveled across the region Kingdom a wanderer and his pet bear aimlessly traveling the world doing odd jobs and having carefree adventures. It has been quite exhilarating actually living my life, doing what I wish without restraint. Not being prepped and prune like a mere doll, it brings on a sense of true…freedom."

"Believe me, I can relate," she remembered her own life before she ran away. "Yet, you do know sooner or later they'll find out who you really are."

"That's why I'm glad you covered for me."

"You know the war is over and you're needed back at Ba Sing Se."

"I've been aware for some time, but this time off the throne has made me realize something…For the first time in my life I've seen my Kingdom for what it has become. I've seen greed and corruption divided my people by boundaries I was to blind to see. As a commoner I can travel amongst them unseen and heal this nation with my own two hands."

"Yet, as the Earth King you could so much more."

"Maybe," he questioned the bureaucracy of it all. "To many people I'm already a ghost; if I'm to understand my people's plight I must do more than just listen to their cries."

"Wow, that's pretty deep."

"I read a lot of books."

"I don't," she said for lack of sight.  
"I know I'll have to return to Ba Sing Se, but for now I just wish to live like a normal man. Not to be treated differently because of my lineage."

"I also know what it's like to be treated differently," she regarded her blindness. "Take it from me that being normal isn't all it's cracked up to be. Every so often you have to play with the cards your dwelt. Yet, until then we'll keep your incognito, until we head out."

"Thank you Toph," he said adjusting his lenses.

"You know it looks like Bosco makes a good referee."

"Ha-ha-ha," he laughed at her sense of humor.

Together they shared a jolly chuckle as Bosco chased the children and the Terra Team around the ground.

After a rousing good game, they returned to the farm lands. When they got there they came upon a fearsome sight. The head farmer was being intimidated by the same thugs who had met them before. Only this time they were lead by a rather rich looking gentlemen riding atop a pure breed ostrich-horse as black as the rider's heart.

"What's going on here," said Team Terra stepping nobly onto the field.

"Boss it's those fools that I told you about," said Ton-ton to his superior.

"You're the fool," he scolded. "Show some respect for the Earth Kingdom Army."

"Are you this man's employer," asked Terra One.

"Of course I am, my name is Mr. Gin," he said. "Please excuse the rudeness of my men, they can be quite…overzealous in there duties."

"You mean like harming innocent kids," asked Toph?

"I assure you young lady, my men were only instructed to make a deal," he smiled. "I only had the best intentions at heart. As things stand I thought it would be kind gesture to keep his prospects open in case worse comes to worse."

"It's true we've been having a bad season," said the head farmer. "However we mustn't loose hope that sooner or later the land will provide."

"Meanwhile your families starve," Mr. Gin insisted. "Why not reconsider my more than generous offer. Considering the poor harvest, the money I'm offering would be enough to feed you families for more than four seasons."

"Mayhap so, but we all agree we can't just sell our land," he told him. "For generations our community has taken care of this land and it's always been good to us. It's true for the past few seasons our crops have not been to spry, but I refuse to believe that land has forsaken us."

"Your land may not be as good as you think," he said.

"What would you know of it," asked Toph recognizing something in his voice.

"Only what I'm told, the land has lost its luster so I figured I tear it down and set up a nice summer home," he said.

"Why you-"Terra One stopped Toph before she make a scene.

"If your business is concluded Mr. Gin," he stated?

"Very well, until another day," he called his men and Ton-ton to move out. Before he left there was just something he ask. "I'm curious as to why the Earth Army would come all this way."

He looked to Toph and in her eyes he saw the promise he had made.

"Just routine field training," was the simplest excuse.

"I'd be weary of this land if I were you; things have a way of going sour."

Mr. Gin rode off with his men, but as soon as they were out of speaking distance.

"Man, what a jerk," said Toph.

"He may be, but it's none of our concern," said Terra One. "Just remember the mission."

"Kuei, you never told us that you had friends in the Earth Army," said the head farmer.

"Well, that's kind of a long story," he bashfully admitted.

"Why don't you tell us all about it over dinner?"

"I'm sorry, but we're-"

"Never to busy to enjoy good grub," said Toph with a hardy appetite. "So, what kind of eats you got?"

"Ha-ha, come everyone let us eat and enjoy."

They expected a feast and they got was barely a mouthful. As mentioned before the harvest had been bitter and there barely enough to go around. This meant the portions were skimpy, especially for the Terra Team's starving stomachs.

"I apologize that we cannot offer more than what we have," said the head farmer sitting at the table of dozens.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I definitely see a feast," she said taking her plate. In a joyous display Toph lightened there spirits by taking small bites from her meal making it look like she was stuffing her mouth full. All around the mass table everyone was cheerful and joyous even when they had so little. Toph couldn't contain her curiosity; for ever since they came to this land she had felt something was amiss. "So, if you don't mind my asking chief, what seems to be the problem with your crops?"

"I don't mind at all," said the head farmer. "You see our land relies on delicate balance. Our village has lived in harmony with the gentle Bull-Worms and we are always careful to give them praise. Normally they work beneath the soil making it rich and fertile, but seasons they have experience abnormal aggression without provocation."

"Doesn't that seem a little suspicious?'

"Well the word _has_ been in a delicate state as of late," he surmised. "We figured once the war ended we would be better off. We just need to give it time is all…When you and your friends are finished perhaps we can set up a couple of futons in the barn."

"Believe me it's for the better," said the Earth King. "The Worms can be worse at night."

So they ate and went to bed. Aside from that snoring of a couple of beasts of burden, the barn was quite comfortable. The Earth King had spent many a night in this place and grown accustomed to the place. However, this night he got up before anyone else. He snuck passed the slumbering soldiers and went over to his pet Bosco asleep on a pile of hay. He tugged at his round ear trying to pull him awake.

"Bosco," he whispered. He rolled out of the hay with a loud thump! Luckily it seemed no one had been stirred. "Bosco, we have to go." So reluctantly the bear led the Earth King out into the night leaving the barn behind them.


End file.
